Angels and demons: Alisson and Gabriel Jesus hold their nerve as Brazil grind out win over Paraguay

It’s happening again. Brazil vs Paraguay: at this stage, it’s essentially one long penalty shootout with occasional interruptions for football. And for the Seleção, the memories are about as happy as your average funeral. 

2011 was the nadir: four spot-kicks, zero goals, infinite doom. Elano’s shot recently completed its third lap of the solar system, say NASA; the rest were not a great deal better. Brazil at least managed to score a couple in 2015, but not as many as Paraguay. 

And now Roberto Firmino has just shanked his penalty miles wide, all of those old demons are banging on the door, giggling with lunatic glee. 

It’s happening again. Right?

Read my piece on the Copa América semi-final between Brazil and Paraguay over at The Independent.

Let Brazil be Brazil? Teething troubles for the Seleção, but they should not forget how far they've come under Tite

The Copa América is not yet two weeks old. Brazil are unbeaten through three matches, with eight goals to their name and zero conceded.

With Japan or Paraguay to come next, and a mediocre Argentina side their likely opponents in the last four, it would be a major surprise were they not to reach the final. By most metrics, things are going well.

Yet muddled performances in their first two group games—a 3-0 win over Bolivia that was less convincing than it sounds, and a drab, goalless draw with Venezuela—prompted a familiar bout of hand-wringing over the side’s progress and underlying identity.

Read my latest piece on the Seleção – and, erm, The West Wing – over at The Athletic.

The Little Onion makes a big impact: How Everton has brought life and levity to Brazil's Copa América campaign

Everton was Brazil’s best player against Peru last night. He was arguably their best player against Venezuela on Tuesday, too, despite only coming on in the second half. He has two goals in the competition and a legion of new fans. But they don’t chant his actual name when he scores.

Instead, they chant, “É Cebolinha!” – “It’s Little Onion!”

This, obviously, is brilliant. A little research reveals that Everton does indeed look a lot like Cebolinha, a character in a much-loved kids’ TV show. Mainly it’s that little tuft of hair, perched on top of his head like it was retreating to higher ground. Maybe Everton also mixes his Rs and Ls up in speech to hilarious effect.

More pertinently, there is just a lovely cartoon levity to the way the 23-year-old plays football, all jerky bursts of life and laugh-out-loud punchlines. It is this quality that has, in double-quick time, made him the chief attacking catalyst for this work-in-progress Brazil side.

Read my piece on the man of the moment over at The Independent. 

Can Philippe Coutinho fill the Neymar void and inspire Brazil to glory at the Copa América?

Filling Neymar’s boots in the Brazil team is one of the great Sisyphean tasks in modern sport, up there with being Deontay Wilder’s sparring partner or doing PR for Team Sky. Boil the Seleção to a sticky liquor and it basically is Neymar, with all the wonders and warts that entails.

Ahead of the Copa América opener against Bolivia there had been a few rogue missives, whispered into the wind, to the effect that Brazil could even be better off without their quicksilver prince. This is plainly nonsense, at least from a pure sporting point of view: he is this country’s best footballer by a country mile.

Coutinho is an excellent player, but not on the same level. He hasn’t even been at his own level this season, with his struggles at Barcelona well documented. Nor does he offer anything like the same raw, gravitational star power that Neymar does; in fact, he is really best viewed as the anti-Neymar. If the Paris Saint-Germain forward is the very model of a modern major superstar, Coutinho is a quiet man squinting into the spotlight.

He is, however, one of Brazil's great hopes at this summer's Copa América, as I wrote in my opening-night piece from the Morumbi over at The Independent.

Unwanted, unloved, underwhelming: Brazil sack Dunga for a second time after latest embarrassment

Say what you will about Dunga; he was no quitter.

Even on Wednesday evening, 48 hours after Brazil's latest embarrassment at a major tournament and as speculation about his future swirled, there was a bullish – some would say foolhardy – conviction emanating from his camp.

Gilmar Rinaldi, Dunga's affable right-hand man, insisted that Dunga would be around to guide the Seleção at the Rio Olympics, the second major appointment in what is now already looking like a nightmare summer for this great football nation. He spoke of their plans and insisted they were "on the right path".

It was a masterpiece of delusion and it was hard not to believe that somewhere, holed up in a bunker surrounded by all his advisors and allies, Dunga really did believe that he would be able to turn things around. Now, though, the curtain has closed on his second reign in charge.

Read my Dunga post mortem on the ESPN FC blog.

Philippe Coutinho finds his stride to give Brazil reason for optimism at the Copa América

Two summers ago, while Brazil were busy stinking out their own World Cup, Philippe Coutinho was at home, watching the action on television. Despite a series of eye-catching displays for Liverpool in the 18 months prior, there had been no place for him in Luiz Felipe Scolari's workaday squad. Nor, in truth, had there been any great deal of clamour for his inclusion, an excitable Merseyside lobby notwithstanding.

You would have forgiven him for feeling a little raw about it: a player of such obvious natural talent sat on his sofa while Paulinho, Bernard and Jo were on duty for Brazil. Age was on his side, but still, it must have hurt.

Now, though, the 23-year-old has his chance. After an injury to Douglas Costa, Coutinho has been drafted into the starting XI for the Copa America Centenario and seems intent on grasping his opportunity.

Read the rest of my latest for ESPN FC here.

Copa America preview: 5 questions Brazil need to answer as a summer of reckoning begins

Brazil face a summer of reckoning.

Just a year on from their mediocre showing at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, the Seleção will attempt to redeem themselves at the special centenary edition of the competition. It's an opportunity to restore some much-needed belief at a major tournament after recent disappointments and to build momentum ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers in September.

Yet circumstances have contrived to complicate things. The Copa is competing for attention with the Olympic football tournament, which kicks off in August, and injuries and other personnel issues are threatening to derail Dunga's plans ahead of his side's opener against Ecuador on June 4.

For ESPN FC, I have picked out five questions that need answering as Brazil head into the gauntlet.

First the tragedy, then the farce: Brazil in crisis again after listless Copa América campaign in Chile

This time, there was no rout, no scoreline to ring through the ages. There were no tears, no eulogies.

In many ways, that is the most damning thing about the quiet death of Brazil’s Copa América hopes: there was none of the shock and awe of the game known simply as “The 7-1”. On this occasion there was barely a whimper of defiance as the Seleção muddled their way to a draw with Paraguay and – for the second time in four years – came up short in a penalty shootout.

The quarter-final performance was entirely of a piece with the rest of Brazil’s campaign. There was no fluency, no pattern to their play. Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho toiled away but produced nothing. In midfield, Elias and Fernandinho seemed content to play sideways passes and let the full-backs provide what little attacking thrust there was. With Neymar absent, there was simply no spark.

Read my Copa América post-mortem on the Rabona website.

Brazil struggle at the Copa América as 'Neymardependência' rears its head once more

Much of the talk in the run-up to last summer’s World Cup was of Brazil’s ‘Neymardependência’ – their over-reliance on their one true superstar of this generation. Those worries have only intensified in the months since and the striker's petulance after (and during) the game against Colombia means that Brazil's hopes of winning the Copa América are hanging by a thread.

While there have been signs of life from Dunga’s other attackers, there can be no doubt that the 23-year-old’s absence leaves Brazil looking toothless. The response is likely to a renewed focus on defensive solidity: the Seleção ended the 2-1 win over Venezuela with four centre-backs on the pitch.

Read my take on the group stage of the Copa América for Rabona magazine.

A year after the World Cup, Brazil are looking to restore pride at the Copa América. But how much has changed?

Brazil's players received a nasty shock this week before the start of their Copa America campaign.

When the Seleção arranged to stay at Hotel Dreams in the Chilean city of Temuco this weekend, they had probably not bargained for a street name that will have conjured memories that most of Dunga's players – plus every one of their countrymen – would prefer to forget.

For the next few days and nights, Brazil will be operating out of Avenida Alemania – Germany Avenue.

It is a simple coincidence, of course, but one that has not escaped the attention of fans and reporters of this most superstitious of countries. That Brazil is still reeling from that defeat to Joachim Löw's side should hardly come as a surprise. Even at a year's remove, the sheer brutality of Germany's dismissal of Brazil continues to resonate.

Read my preview of Brazil's Copa América campaign on the MirrorFootball website.

No Neymar, no party: Signs of life for Brazil ahead of Copa America, but one man remains key to their chances

It may have been a Sunday night, but the celebrations were in full swing. Back in Catalonia following their historic Champions League success against Juventus, the Barcelona players bounced up and down, embraced and took it in turns to whip up the fans who had flocked to the Camp Nou to greet their returning heroes.

At the centre of things was Neymar. Sporting a treble-winner's vest he seemed to have customised himself – his teammates all wore T-shirts – and having swapped his "100% Jesus" Karate Kid headband for a baseball cap, the striker threw himself into full party mode, swapping jokes with Lionel Messi and clowning around with Dani Alves. He had never looked more at home.

Few would have begrudged him that moment of release, coming as it did after the most important game of his young career. But that was not to say that his absence was not keenly felt elsewhere as the balmy evening gave way to night in Catalonia.

Some 8,800 kilometers away in Sao Paulo, Brazil were kicking off against Mexico. On the face of it, this was the ultimate thankless task, a meaningless friendly imbued with greater significance due to the context: this was the Seleção's first match on home soil since the 2014 World Cup.

Read my latest ESPN piece, on Brazil's Copa América preparations, here.

Seleção Crash Out of Copa América

And thus, 120 goalless minutes and four wayward penalties later, ended Brazil's Copa América campaign. In a bid to overcome my own temporary apathy, I will refrain from providing a straightforward match report and analysis on this occasion. Instead, I present 7 things we learnt from...

Brazil 0-0 Paraguay AET (0-2 on penalties)

(1) Football can be a cruel mistress.
Brazil's performance (in normal time at least) was easily their best of the tournament; chances came thick and fast, Paraguay were second best all over the pitch, and Júlio César barely had a save to make. True, the seleção still didn't produce the kind of flowing football that fans have been clamouring for, but this was still a dominant display, possibly their best since the victory over the USA in Menezes' first game in charge. They were rewarded only with utter despair.

Penalty pain; this is what it looks like to miss all your spot kicks.

(2) Robinho and Ramires have plenty to contribute.
Despite being a fixture in Brazil's post-World Cup side, Ramires has never managed to convince SKP of his value. A jack of all trades, his hard running and frequently-clumsy passing have provoked the ire of those who think the seleção would be best served by a deep-lying playmaker (cough cough... Hernanes... cough) alongside Lucas Leiva in the midfield engine room. Ramires' performance against Paraguay, however, forced me to reconsider (if not yet abandon) that conviction; his energy and propulsion unsettled Paraguay, and he contributed well to a number of attacks late in the game. Bravo, rapaz. Robinho also provided a timely example of his undoubted quality. The Milan forward had an excellent game; helping Ganso with creative duties, dribbling to good effect, and even putting in the odd crunching tackle (!). It was a shame that his efforts would prove to be in vain.

(3) Football should never (ever) be played on a ploughed field.
Remember that, La Plata groundsmen.

(4) Patience is needed with Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso.
The Santos pair entered the Copa América as headline acts, tipped by all and sundry to light up the tournament. In truth, they have done so only in brief flashes, otherwise failing to stamp their authority on matches. Against Paraguay, Ganso wondered aimlessly during the opening period, whilst an increasingly ineffective Neymar was withdrawn in the second; poor performances in Brazil's hour of need. Before the two youngsters are written off, however, some perspective is needed; this was their first major tournament, one which they entered with just seven senior caps between them. The Copa may have constituted a false dawn for the youngsters, but their future remains bright.

Disappointment; Neymar lament's Brazil's Copa exit.

(5) Nelson Haedo Valdez is a great human being.
It isn't the unkempt hair. It isn't the tireless running. It isn't the goofy grin. It isn't even the brotherly spirit that saw him stop to inquire about the state of the cameraman (and camera) he went crashing into during the match. It's something... intangible. I just want to be his friend. And to get drunk with him at weekends.

(6) Centrebacks should be last in the queue to take penalty kicks.
Actually, maybe that's too strong. Siniša Mihajlović was a centreback, after all. Let me make an amendment...

(6a) Injured centrebacks should be last in the queue to take penalty kicks.
Now there's something we can all agree on. Sorry, Thiago Silva, but you shouldn't have been anywhere near that spot.

(7) Any road back to o jogo bonito will be a long and hard one.
When he took over last year, Mano Menezes was heralded by some (including, to some extent, himself) as the man to restore the Brazil side to its former mercurial glory. His faith in youth and his preference for an attacking 4-2-1-3 provided strong early pointers that he was going in the right direction. Brazil's performances in the Copa, however, have demonstrated that a return to the golden days (1970? 1982? Even 2002?) is still far from being realised. Stodgy in midfield, and reliant on discreet moments of penetration (rather than consistent build-up) in attack, Menezes' side has rather more in common with Dunga's World Cup team than it does with the standout iterations in the Brazilian pantheon. Again, patience is necessary. The question, however, is whether Menezes is the right man to be patient with. For now, it appears that the CBF will keep faith with the 49-year-old. If and when the situation is reassessed, however, Brazil's disappointing Copa América campaign will certainly count against him.

(Photo credits; (1) Ricardo Nogueira, (2) Leo la Valle.)

Brazil Beat Ecuador to Reach Last Eight of Copa América

Punctuality never was the strong suit of South American culture. After 225 turgid minutes, Brazil finally arrived at the Copa América, turning in a much-improved second half display to pick up a 4-2 win against Ecuador. The result ensured the seleção's place in the last eight of the competition, and should serve to reduce the pressure on coach Mano Menezes.

Brazil 4-2 Ecuador
Following his side's disappointing opening performances, Mano Menezes reshuffled his pack for the final group game; Robinho was restored to the attack at the expense of Jádson, and Maicon got the nod at fullback in the wake of Daniel Alves' horror show against Paraguay. Fred, who rescued the seleção with a late strike against La Albirroja, had to content himself with a place on the bench. In midfield, Ramires again started slightly to the right of Lucas Leiva.

Mighty duck; Pato celebrates his opener.

Brazil, as so often in recent months, started brightly; Maicon powered down the right to excellent effect, whilst Neymar, Pato, and Robinho sought to confound the Ecuadorian defence with frequently position-switching. It would take a discrete moment of brilliance, however, to break the deadlock; André Santos swung in a stunning cross from the left, giving Alexandre Pato the simplest of headers. The goal provided vindication for all of those (SKP included) who have voiced substantial admiration for the Fenerbahçe leftback over the past few years.

The strike, however, did not signal the start of any kind of fluency on Brazil's part. Ramires continued to frustrate with his inconsistent (read; terrible) passing, whilst Paulo Henrique Ganso again struggled to stamp his authority on proceedings. It would be one of the seleção's most experienced campaigners, though, who really let the side down. With the interval approaching, Júlio César allowed Felipe Caicedo's tame shot to slip under his body, gifting Ecuador an equaliser. Frangaço!

Whatever Menezes said to his charges during the half time break seemed to work; the seleção were almost unrecognisable in the second period. Ganso and Neymar suddenly burst into life, combining brilliantly for Brazil's second; the latter slammed home after Ecuador failed to cut out a perceptive through-ball from his Santos teammate. La Tri briefly rallied, levelling the match once more through Caicedo, but their opponents were in the ascendency. An exhilarating Neymar run culminated in a shot that Marcelo Elizaga could only parry, allowing Pato to nip in for his second of the evening.

Hair-raising; Neymar salutes a higher power after netting Brazil's fourth.

With their lead restored, and with Ecuador looking increasingly disheveled, Brazil finally fell into a rhythm. Paulo Henrique Ganso demonstrated the vision and passing range that have made him one of the world's most promising young players, and Neymar began to entertain the Córdoba crowd with his repertoire of flicks and turns. Another goal seemed inevitable, and so it proved; Maicon marauded down the wing once more, and squared for Neymar to clip home. With a two-goal cushion established, Menezes had the luxury of resting Ganso, Pato, and Neymar for the last few minutes. He'll need them to be fresh and firing once more on Sunday, when Brazil meet Paraguay in the quarter final.

(Photo credits; (1) Leo la Valle, (2) Sebastián Salguero.)

Tristeza Não Tem Fim; Struggling Seleção Scrape Draw Against Paraguay

Tristeza não tem fim.
Felicidade sim.
Tristeza não tem fim.
Two games without a win.*

Brazil 2-2 Paraguay
First things first; Paraguay were never going to be easy opponents for the seleção. Brazil's neighbours are South America's resident awkward customers, frequently posing problems for the putative giants of the continent. Solid in defence, and with a number of potent attacking threats, La Albirroja entered the Copa América confident of building upon their promising displays in South Africa last summer. A stalemate in their tournament opener against Ecuador, however, placed added pressure on Gerardo Martino's men ahead of their clash with Brazil.

Desespero geral; Neymar and Pato struggled to make an impact against Paraguay.

They needn't have worried. The seleção turned in another disappointing performance, and needed a late strike from Fred to rescue a point. As I (and many others) predicted, Mano Menezes left Robinho out of his starting eleven, preferring another midfielder in a withdrawn role on the right. Contrary to expectations, however, it was Jádson - rather than Elano - who got the nod in Córdoba. That decision, although provoking the ire of many Brazil fans, was vindicated late in the first half; the Shakhtar Donetsk man opened the scoring with a low shot from distance.

Until that point, Brazil had flattered to deceive. A minor reshuffle in the centre of the park (Lucas Leiva operated to the left of Ramires, rather than on the right) made little difference to the fluency of the side, and Neymar produced the kind of insipid performance that will provide his myriad suitors with plenty of food for thought. The presence of Jádson alongside Ganso, however, did (on occasion) lend Brazil more of an attacking threat. The two combined neatly early on to create an excellent chance for Alexandre Pato, only for the Milan striker to be denied by Justo Villar. Unfortunately, that promising axis was to be broken at half time; Elano replaced Jádson, who was running a disciplinary tightrope after picking up a yellow card.

Defensively, Brazil looked more shaky than usual. They were given a warning in the opening minutes of the match, when a poorly executed offside trap gifted a golden opportunity to Roque Santa Cruz. The experienced forward didn't hit the target on that occasion, but made amends after the interval, turning home coolly after Brazil's backline had been dragged out of position. Paraguay added a second not long after; Daniel Alves (who struggled throughout the match) dallied on the ball inside his own area, allowing Marcelo Estigarribia and Santa Cruz to tee up Nelson Haedo Valdez. The substitute saw his shot blocked by Lúcio, only for the ball to ricochet off his body and into the corner of the net. Some guys have all the luck.

Right said Fred; the Fluminense striker celebrates his late strike.

With his side needing a goal, Menezes restructured his attack; Lucas Moura came on for Ramires (meaning Elano dropped yet deeper), and Neymar was withdrawn for Fred, a more orthodox striker. Those changes, allied with a growing sense of desperation, seemed to spur Brazil on. With just two minutes left on the clock, Fred seized upon Ganso's hopeful flick and arrowed a volley into the bottom corner of Villar's net. The opportunistic nature of the goal hinted at what Brazil have been missing in their two Copa América games thus far; a genuine presence in the penalty area. Fred may not be everybody's cup of tea, but his physicality and positional sense could make him an invaluable option in the coming games.

So what next for the seleção? It seems fairly clear that the upcoming clash with Ecuador is a make or break moment for Menezes; victory (and progress to the knockout stages) could draw a line under this week's shortcomings, whilst anything less would surely make the 49-year-old's position all but untenable. Tactically, Mano must decide whether to stick to his guns, maintaining Pato as a nominal reference in attack, or bite the bullet and select a more traditional (read; Fred-shaped) focal point. With the pressure mounting, Menezes may be forced, like many of his recent predecessors, to abandon o jogo bonito in favour of a more pragmatic approach. More's the pity.

*Lyrics; 75% Vinicius de Moraes, 25% SKP.

(Photo credits; (1) Danilo Verpa, (2) Marcelo Sayão.)

Seleção Draw Blank Against Venezuela in Copa América

As opening gambits go, it was far from convincing. Having watched their most bitter of rivals stutter against Bolivia (a result which was reported with considerable verve in Brazil) the seleção met Venezuela, hoping to put down an early marker in the competition. A year after being knocked out of the World Cup with barely a whimper of protest, opportunity hung heavy in the La Plata air; this was the moment for Brazil to shake off the dust, to reintroduce itself to the world. A team rich in youthful vim and logic-defying hair styles marched onto the pitch. Mano Menezes looked on sagely as Neymar, Ganso et al. took their starting positions. The stage was set. And then... nothing.

Brazil 0-0 Venezuela
The seleção, in fairness, started the match with considerable intent; Neymar was typically busy, combining with André Santos on the left, and cutting inside to good effect. As usual, Daniel Alves channelled his inner mad dog, sprinting wildly up and down the right flank. One such burst brought Brazil their best chance of the match; Alexandre Pato's effort clattered back off the bar with Renny Vega well beaten. Defensively, Menezes' side started impeccably, pressing high up the pitch, and regaining possession before their opponents had time to mount any threat. Consequently, Venezuela only managed one notable foray in the opening period, an attack which resulted in the (otherwise faultless) Thiago Silva being booked.

Shackled; Neymar is crowded out by Venezuela defenders.

This level of comfort should have increased Brazil's attacking capabilities, prompting one of the deeper midfielders to contribute more in attack. Given Lucas Leiva's recent success in shielding the back four, that duty fell on the shoulders of Ramires. Unfortunately, the Chelsea man (a good player though he is) simply doesn't have the skill set to be effective in this task; energetic surges culminated with the ball bobbling away from him, and passes, when played forward, seemed to be observing some overly draconian speed limit. Paulo Henrique Ganso, who looked slightly sluggish in only his second match back since injury, was deprived of any purposeful link-up in the centre of the park, and as a result spent rather too much time trying to play ambitious through-passes to the forwards.

And what of Brazil's strikers? Neymar faded somewhat after his bright start, yet still attracted two or three markers every time he received possession, thus (theoretically) creating room for his colleagues. Alexandre Pato turned in a middling performance; two moments of sublime skill (his effort against the bar, and a jaw-dropping piece of control from a Dani Alves long ball) didn't disguise the fact that he was marked out of the game for long periods. That just leaves... (checks team sheet)... oh, Robinho. Well Robinho was... He had a shot in the first half, didn't he...? Or was that someone else...?

Plenty to think about for Brazil's stars.

Worryingly for Menezes, the match followed the script that has defined a number of recent Brazil matches. Despite exerting early pressure, the seleção couldn't manage a break-through, and proceeded to turn in a disorganised, panicky, second-half display. His substitutions (Fred, Lucas, and Elano all entered the fray) made scant difference, and Venezuela grew in confidence as the match wore on. Both Júlio César and Lúcio needed all of their experience to snuff out a couple of promising counter attacks from the underdogs. The final whistle almost came as a relief to Brazil; one sensed that they wouldn't have scored in another hour of play.

So far, so gloomy. A little perspective, however, is called for. This wouldn't be the first time that a team fluffed their opening lines before embarking on an impressive tournament run; Spain demonstrated as much in South Africa last year. The performance (and the attendant criticism) could also serve to galvanise the seleção, motivating players for the battles ahead. Menezes will be aware, though, of the severity of his situation; further turgid performances against Paraguay and Ecuador would almost certainly lead to calls for his head.

Back to Dunga's lopsided 4-2-2-2 against Paraguay?

It would not be surprising if, due to that mounting pressure (and his side's lack of fluency), Menezes sacrificed Robinho against Paraguay. Elano, who has proved himself to be a dependable figure in recent years, would be the main candidate for inclusion, and would occupy a withdrawn role on the right. That, ironically, would transform Menezes' formation into almost the exact system employed by Dunga in South Africa; the lopsided 4-2-2-2. We have already seen that one of the shortcomings of Dunga's reign - the refusal to employ a regista in the midfield platform - has merely been reproduced by Menezes. The main difference, then, is largely one of attacking personnel. Menezes must hope that his faith in Brazil's emerging stars is justified.

(For more on the tactical state of the seleção, check out this post from the ever-excellent Santa Pelota, and this one over at the brilliant Zonal Marking.)

(Photo credits; (1) Paulo Whitaker, (2) Lea la Valle.)

Menezes Announces Copa América Squad

Brazil boss Mano Menezes has announced the Brazil squad which will compete for the Copa América next month. The 22 man seleção includes Alexandre Pato and Paulo Henrique Ganso, both of whom have been deemed fit enough to appear in Argentina. Among the names to miss out are Kaká, Marcelo, Hernanes, Nilmar, and Thiago Neves.

On the list; Santos playmaker Ganso.

The full squad is as follows;

Júlio César (Internazionale)
Victor (Grêmio)

Daniel Alves (Barcelona)
Maicon (Internazionale)
André Santos (Fenerbahçe)
Adriano (Barcelona)
Lúcio (Internazionale)
Thiago Silva (Milan)
David Luiz (Chelsea)
Luisão (Benfica)

Ramires (Chelsea)
Lucas Leiva (Liverpool)
Sandro (Tottenham Hotspur)
Elias (Atlético Madrid)
Elano (Santos)
Jádson (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Lucas (São Paulo)
Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos)

Fred (Fluminense)
Alexandre Pato (Milan)
Robinho (Milan)
Neymar (Santos)

There are very few surprises among the goalkeepers and defenders; Victor gets the nod over Fábio for the role of reserve goalkeeper, whilst Menezes continues to overlook Real Madrid left back Marcelo. The likes of Anderson and Henrique have failed to work their way into contention for the defensive midfield positions, with Mano keeping faith with Lucas Leiva, Ramires, and Sandro. Further forward, Jádson's impressive display against Romania may have helped earn him a spot, and São Paulo prodigy Lucas also makes the cut.

The most interesting selection, however, is that of Fred. The Fluminense man has only played around 100 minutes of football under Menezes, the majority of them spent marooned up front against Holland on Saturday. His goal against Romania, however, coupled with his recent club form, evidently proved enough for him to get the nod over players like Hulk and Leandro Damião. Many will also be surprised at the omission of Nilmar, who would have provided excellent back-up for Neymar or Robinho in the support striker roles. I, for one, would have included him at the expense of Elias.

Brazil play their first match in the Copa on the 3rd of July, meeting Venezuela in La Plata. Menezes will be desperately hoping that Pato and Ganso prove their fitness before that date; otherwise, this Brazil side could be worryingly reliant on Neymar.

(Photo credit; Santos website.)